I have been trying to chase down information on using the audio channel to downlink telemetry for several days. Every seemingly hopeful path I've followed has led to a deadend. If you succeed in finding anything, PLEASE post a link here.
- Don

Kind of late to the game, but I seem to have the same module. It has the same top number, but the bottom number is FD0906AT3. Interesting that mine was manufactured in 06/09. Was yours manufactured in 35/08?
Mine has a yellow wire that comes out near the RF connector and runs underneath the Rx between the module and the case. It isn't connected to anything on the end outside the module. Any idea what that is? It looks like an antenna. Is this a transceiver module in other applications?
Speaking to quality control, mine also has a label on the other side that says "1.3GHZ Receiver". It isn't.
Cheers,
Don

Mr. RC-Cam,
I suppose it could be "ground effect", but the behavior is the same as T.I. says happens when the polonium weakens. I was hoping that the polonium was originally used to increase the sensitivity and that it might not be required with state-of-the-art circuitry. I've sent a PM to Helmut Lelke, asking him to describe his current sensors, but haven't received a reply. If I were to find out that he no longer uses polonium, then I could get excited about this, again.
- Don

I've decided this is not a viable alternative for stabilization - at least not for me. I built a clone of the Chinese fella's system. It does actually respond to changes in tilt, but as TI suggested, it acts like a gyro. Maybe with the polonium it would behave as advertised, but that isn't the way I want to go. I'll probably attempt the accelerometer/gyro/Kalman filter solution, next. Meanwhile, I have my co-pilot and I'm attempting to gain an understanding of Kalman filters.
- Don

TI,
Thanks for the info. I've been trying to contact him to no avail. His email address on CRRC doesn't work.
I agree with you on placing the FET stages at the extremities and that's what I've done in my experiments. My hope, though, is to build something that doesn't require the isotope.
It may be wishful thinking, but I don't see any sign of isotopes on his Albatross II photos or drawings. Were your discussions with him pre, or post, Albatross II?
- Don

Is either of you familiar with Helmut Lelke's use of this method in his gliders? It appears he's been doing it successfully for over 20 years. I came across an article in "RC Soaring Digest" where he talks about Maynard Hill helping him with his initial attemps. Interesting read. Let me know if you haven't already seen it and I'll try posting it.
- Don

Terry and Mr. RC-Cam,
I didn't mean to imply that I had translated the whole document. I used bablefish.altavista.com to translate certain phrases and sentences. The translations read a lot like some of the users manuals we've all seen come out of Asia, but it was sufficient to give the flavor of what he was doing.
I've adapted his circuits to use components I had on hand, or could get my hands on, and I've breadboarded a bit of it to see if it shows any promise. The FETs, with 1" antennas, are amazingly sensitive. They pick up my waving a piece of plastic from across the room. Of course, that's what we want to filter out!
I'll know much more within the next few days and will post my findings here.
- Don

Anyone care to revive this topic? I've done a little "translating" and have sort of figured out what he's doing. BTW, the gyro wasn't part of the project. Rather, it was used to verify the output of the thing.
- Don